jiLv ;, :92o.i 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



677 



FIRESTONE'S WESTERN SALES MANAGER. 



■"rank K. Starbird, western sales manager of the Firestone 

 Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio, is one of Ohio's enter- 

 Xcw London, Ohio, in 1885, he 

 was educated in the local grade 

 and high schools and later in Ohio 

 State University, at Columbus. He 

 entered the employ of the Fire- 

 stone company in April, 1916, be- 

 ginning in the advertising depart- 

 ment where he was soon made 

 manager of the dealers' advertis- 

 ing department. Later, his activ- 

 ities being transferred to sales, he 

 became manager of the pneumatic 

 sales department, then manager of 

 the Northwestern district, embrac- 

 ing the Minneapolis, Great Falls, 

 Minot, Fargo and Des Moines 

 branches, with headquarters in 

 Minneapolis. At the beginning of 

 the present year he was promoted 

 with headquarters in Akron. 



Fr.\-\.'v K. Starbikii. 

 western sales manager, 



THE RUBBER TRADE IN OHIO. 



By Our Regular Correspondent. 



AKRON NOTES. 



AV/ORKING against transportation difficulties and the beginning 

 •» of refinancing following the war period, were the dominant 

 features of the rubber industry in Akron during the past month. 

 The production of tires and rubber goods has been greatly re- 

 tarded by the railroad situation and possibly by the credits e-x- 

 tended by bankers to the industries. Although no detinite an- 

 nouncements have been made, it is understood by bankers in the 

 city that a large number of men have been laid off indefinitely 

 and plans are under consideration for further curtailment unless 

 the situation clears up in the very near future. 



For some time after the railroad situation became serious the 

 rubber factories employed truck trains to bring in fabric, which 

 was scarce in the city, and in several instances armed trains were 

 employed to bring fabric from the East. But after raw materials 

 were supplied it became impossible to ship out manufactured 

 goods. As a result it is generally understood, although no official 

 statement has been forthcoming, that large amounts of manufac- 

 tured goods are stored in warehouses and old buildings awaiting 

 an opportunity to ship. 



However, the effect of the temporary depression upon the city 

 is not regarded as serious by the manufacturers or .'\kron bankers. 

 In an interview given by D. R. Held, cashier of one of the largest 

 banks and dean of .\kron bankers, he^expressed the opinion that 

 this situation is exactly the thing needed to bring business back to 

 its normal basis. "All our industries had gone mad about business 

 and they were attempting to do more than they were able to 

 handle, and if the switchmen's strike had not occurred it is not 

 unlikely that business would have received a severe blow by the 

 continued inflation. As it is. the business men were warned in 

 time to curtail and the depression will come and go without leav- 

 ing any failures in its wake," he said to the correspondent of 

 The India Rubber World. 



The freight situation in Akron proper has been entirely cleared 

 lip and the resumption of normal shipping of goods depends en- 

 tirely upon the increase in efficiency of the transportation system 

 outside of the city itself. 



The following promotions in the executive force of The B. F. 

 Goodrich Rubber Co., Akron, were recently announced: V. L 

 Montenyohl and L. L. Smith, credit managers, have been made 



assistant treasurers, and W. C. .\rthur, assistant secretary and 

 counsel. 



V. I. Montenyohl has been connected with the Goodrich com- 

 pany for thirteen years, having started in 1907 as a stenographer 

 in the treasurer's department. He began his credit work in 1910 

 and after several years handled the more important duties of the 

 credit department. He was appointed credit manager in the 

 spring of 1917. 



L. L. Smith, who has completed twelve years of service, be- 

 came connected with the Goodrich company in 1908 as receiving 

 clerk in the tire adjusting department, and later was advanced 

 to tire adjuster and then to assistant manager of the Kansas 

 City branch. In 1914 he was made special salesman in the Kan- 

 sas Citv tcrritorv. He was transferred to the Akron credit de- 



L. L. Smith. V. I. Montenyohl. \\'. C. .Arthur. 



partment in 1915 and after two }-ears in that department was 

 made credit manager. 



W. C. Arthur became associated with the Goodrich company in 

 1917 when the legal department was organized. He is a grad- 

 uate of the University of Pittsburgh, class of 1907 and took his 

 law degree in 1913. 



The B. F. Goodrich Co.. -Akron, announces the following 

 changes in personnel : F. W. Jones, formerly in charge of foot- 

 wear sales, has been assigned to special sales work ; W. E. Hawk- 

 ins will succeed Mr. Jones as manager of footwear sales, and 

 F. C. Garrett will succeed Mr. Hawkins as operating manager, 

 assisted by A. W. Thompson, formerly chief clerk at the Akron 

 branch. H. A. Staley will combine the duties of chief clerk and 

 adjuster at the .Akron branch. 



Athletes of The B. F. Goodrich Co., for the fourth time in suc- 

 cession, won the .Akron Industrial League track meet champion- 

 ship Memorial Day, the results being: Goodrich, 59 points; 

 Goodyear. 58 ; Firestone. 56, and Miller, 16. 



Rex Lake, one of the largest industrial playgrounds in the 

 world, which is operated for the employes of The B. F. Goodrich 

 Co., has been opened for the season. The sports at the grounds 

 include baseball, tennis, cricket and soccer, as well as boating and 

 canoeing. Boats and fishing tackle are provided for those who 

 wish to fish. Special playgrounds for children have been pro- 

 vided and a large roomy cottage equipped with kitchens, dining 

 and rest rooms has been remodeled for the season. 



Honoring Mr. and Mrs. John R. Gammeter, who left June 23 

 for a tour of Europe, employes in Mr. Gammeter's department at 

 The B. F. Goodrich Co. gave a banquet at Young's Hotel, June 3, 

 presenting Mr. and Mrs. Gammeter with a leather-bound book 

 containing the autographs of those present. About 156 partici- 

 pated in the event. 



The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. plant was recently closed 

 down for thirty minutes to enable the men to hear in three 

 mass meetings the story of the "Inter-Church World Move- 

 ment," staged by Protestant churches to obtain more than 



